


Verdict

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Mafia AU [6]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-08 00:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4283142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For them. God, for them he hoped they found Bruce guilty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Verdict

**Author's Note:**

> I still know nothing of legal or mob situations. So, uhh, oops. I write Bruce as really mean in this au, goddamn.

It’d been a long trial. Four months – well, fourteen weeksand three days, plus a week for the jury to deliberate, not that Jason was _counting_ or anything – and they were allwaiting for this. This one second, this one word.

“Mister Wayne, please rise.”

He did, as did his lawyer. He straightened his jacket, clasped his hands in front of him.

Jason felt his knee jumping, bouncing up and down in anticipation. He couldn’t help it, so he didn’t try to. If the verdict was _guilty_ , it’ll feel like he could breathe for the first time in ages.

But if it was _not guilty_ …Jason couldn’t promise he wouldn’t pull his gun on the man right then and there.

In his periphery, he saw Talia glance at him. Talia who, after almost ten years of being gone, settled back into his – and most important, _Damian’s_ – life like she never left. Silently, she reached out, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. He looked at her, and they shared a small attempt at a reassuring smile.

He looked past her then. At Damian curled into her other side, holding her other hand like it was his only connection to freedom and safety. At Dick next to him, and then Barbara after.

For them. _God_ , for them he hoped they found Bruce guilty.

“Foreman?” Jason looked back in time to see a man in the jury box stand. “Has the jury come to a unanimous decision?”

“Yes, your honor.” The man cleared his throat, and held out a flimsy sheet of paper to be handed to the judge.

Jason closed his eyes, squeezed them shut and steeled himself for the answer.

After a heavy pause, the foreman coughed again before speaking. “We, the jury, find the defendant Bruce T. Wayne-”

He sensed Damian lean tighter in Talia’s side. Heard Dick inhale sharply.

“- _guilty_ , on all charges brought against him in this court of law.”

There was an instant murmur in the gallery, but Jason didn’t really hear any of it. He was still stuck on it. The word. That one second, shorter than one second, that he wanted to hear. That he’d wanted to hear for…well, _years_ now.

Guilty.

Guilty, guilty, guilty.

He looked back at the others. Dick had his arms tight around both Barbara and Damian, his face buried in the little boy’s hair as Barbara grabbed at them both. Damian’s eyes were wide and wild, darting between Dick, Talia and Bruce. Talia herself had slumped back in the pew, still clinging to her son and Jason’s hands.

She looked tired, but accomplished, her eyes watery as she turned her gaze to Jason. She squeezed his hand once more, giving it a quick shake. Even over the gentle roar of the crowd, Jason heard her whisper loud and clear.

“You did it.” She sucked her lips between her teeth for just a moment, to rein in her emotions most likely. “I’m so proud of you, Jason.”

Jason let himself be pulled into the woman’s embrace, let her kiss his forehead and hold him close. And Jason was feeling his soul lift, just a little bit, so he didn’t care – he reached out and clasped Damian’s hand too. Damian peeked at him, eyes still wide, like he didn’t believe what he just heard.

“You’re safe now, kid.” Jason promised. “He’s not going to hurt you, or anyone else, ever again.”

Damian remained silent, still tucked snugly in Dick’s hold, but nodded. In recognition or thanks, Jason didn’t know. Didn’t really care, either.

He turned back towards the front of the courtroom, where Kori was shaking hands with the other prosecutors, where Bruce was whispering calmly, but frantically into his own lawyer’s ear.

Above the murmur, the judge called. “Sentencing will be scheduled for next week. The jury is thanked and dismissed. Court is adjourned.”

The crowds around them shifted, all stood as one. Some people loitered, chatting quietly, chancing peeks at the now-convicted mobster. The rest of the family, those still under Bruce’s influence, quickly stood. Jason stared sadly as Selina hooked an arm through Tim’s and stomped loudly in to the hallway, almost dragging Tim along next to her. As Cassandra grabbed Stephanie’s hand and practically ran after the den mother.

Jason wasn’t going to give up on them. Not just yet.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys,” Dick started softly. He was still clinging to Damian’s shoulder, rubbing absently at the curve. Damian remained silent, and Jason didn’t expect anything less. Though he noticed the boy still gripped at his mother’s hand, and was leaning against Dick’s side. Probably in relief, and now wasn’t the time to tease him for it. “But I think a celebratory drink is in order.”

“I hear that.” Jason laughed, as Barbara stood, handing out the coats to their appropriate owners, as Dick followed suit, manhandling Damian to his feet as well.

“Mother.” Damian whispered, when Talia didn’t immediate repeat the action.

“You three go ahead.” Talia smiled warmly, kissing Damian’s hand before letting go completely. “We shall meet you in the hallway.”

Damian pursed his lips in a pout.

“We’ll pick a restaurant while we wait, how’s that sound?” Dick tried, quickly steering Damian and Barbara away before the boy could argue. At the courtroom’s doorway, he paused, glancing back at Talia and Jason. Talia kept the confident smile on her face as she gave him a quick nod. Dick nodded back and the group instantly disappeared into the corridor.

“You should have gone with them, Talia.” Jason sighed, locking his hands on his knees as he stood. The courtroom was mostly empty now. Just a few straggling reporters, the judge, the lawyers and Bruce.

Bruce, who was currently getting handcuffed.

There’s never been a sweeter sight.

“I need the closure as much as you do.” Talia stood regally, like a queen standing from her throne. She stepped close Jason, and the two of them watched as Bruce was forced to follow instructions. His uncomfortable grimace brought complete glee to their hearts.

As he was turned around, he froze, fierce blue eyes landing on them. They narrowed in anger, and he dared to pull against his restraints, against the bailiff’s grip.

“Careful, Bruce.” Jason hummed with a smirk. “Officer Braddock there, he _loves_ to use that taser of his.”

“This isn’t over.” Bruce hissed, even as his lawyer put a hand on his shoulder. “You mark my words, Jason. You’ll get yours. You and _all_ the others.” The bailiff pulled him backwards. Bruce went with the movement but seemed to otherwise ignore it. “You can all run, but you can _never_ hide. Not from _me_.”

Jason opened his mouth to retort, but Talia stopped him with a gentle hand on his chest. “Then we will beat you again, as we have today.”

And Talia speaking seemed to just make him more livid. He was already breathing heavily and…and Jason realized this is what panic looked like on the man he once considered a father. This is what uncertainty looked like, this was Bruce stating with body language only: _I don’t have a plan for this situation._

“That _boy_ ,” Bruce finally sneered at her instead, his perfectly styled hair falling out of place across his forehead. “My son-”

“Damian is _not_ your son. He is Richard’s. Isn’t that what you’ve groomed them both for since the child was born?” Talia purred. Bruce grit his teeth. “Now, _you_ mark _my_ words, Bruce. You get near either of them. You or your… _lackeys_ get anywhere near Jason or Barbara, or anyone else who finds themselves lucky enough to be free of you…and there will be a whole new world of hell for you to pay, my love.”

Bruce didn’t respond. Surprisingly, all he did was stand up a little straighter. He was wary, Jason noticed, suspicious maybe.

Talia suddenly turned away, letting her hair fan out behind her. “Come, Jason. I believe your brothers were choosing a location for that _celebratory drink?”_

Talia strode down the aisle. Jason stayed a moment more, watching as Bruce was nearly dragged to the side door. Jason threw him one last smirk, backing confidently down Talia’s path. “Yes, _ma’am_.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Mafia AU stories](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/search/mafia+au)   
> 


End file.
